Beluga Whales To Be Released Into World’s First Open Water Sanctuary
Campaigners describe the new sanctuary in Iceland as one of the “biggest developments in captive whale and dolphin care and protection in decades”.
Little White and Little Grey. Credit: SEA LIFE TRUST Beluga Whale Sanctuary
Little White and Little Grey are the names of two former captive Beluga whales who will return home to the ocean in June. The pair will be released into the world’s first open water sanctuary for beluga whales, located in a natural bay just off the Westman Islands, Iceland.
The pair of belugas have made a 6,000 mile relocation by air, land and sea from an aquarium in China to start their new sanctuary life in Iceland.
The Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) have called the move “one of the biggest developments in captive whale and dolphin care and protection in decades.”
Cathy Williamson, WDC’s End Captivity Programme policy manager said: “Having been originally involved in discussions about a sanctuary with [aquarium business] SEA LIFE 20 years ago, and having helped with this beluga whale project from the beginning, WDC is naturally very excited to be part of the project.”
“The world’s first whale sanctuary represents a pathway to the end of the keeping of whales and dolphins confined for entertainment, and shows the world that there is an alternative to whale and dolphin captivity.”
Earlier this year in Canada, it was announced that another group of captive beluga whales and orcas will also be retired to a new sanctuary in Nova Scotia, where the cetaceans can finally engage in their natural behaviors. Their ‘retirement’ stemmed from Canada’s decision to pass the “Free Willy bill” last year, which prohibits the trade, possession, capture and breeding of whales, dolphins, and porpoises. The bill effectively ended the practice of using these cetaceans for entertainment.
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